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Tiberius
pronounced a panegyric on his son before the Rostra, during which the Senate
and people, in appearance rather than in heart, put on the expression and
accents of sorrow, while they inwardly rejoiced at the brightening future of
the family of Germanicus. This beginning of popularity and the ill-concealed
ambition of their mother Agrippina, hastened its downfall. Sejanus when he
saw that the death of Drusus was not avenged on the murderers and was no
grief to the people, grew bold in wickedness, and, now that his first
attempt had succeeded, speculated on the possibility of destroying the
children of Germanicus, whose succession to the throne was a certainty.
There were three, and poison could not be distributed among them, because of
the singular fidelity of their guardians and the unassailable virtue of
Agrippina. So Sejanus inveighed against Agrippina's arrogance, and worked
powerfully on Augusta's old hatred of her and on Livia's consciousness of
recent guilt, and urged both these women to represent to the emperor that
her pride as a mother and her reliance on popular enthusiasm were leading
her to dream of empire. Livia availed herself of the cunning of accusers,
among whom she had selected Julius Postumus, a man well suited to her
purpose, as he had an intrigue with Mutilia Prisca, and was consequently in
the confidence of Augusta, over whose mind Prisca had great influence. She
thus made her aged grandmother, whose nature it was to tremble for her
power, irreconcilably hostile to her grandson's widow. Agrippina's friends
too were induced to be always inciting her proud spirit by mischievous
talk.